South Dakota Mines Receives Funding to Revolutionize Soft Material Research
South Dakota Mines researchers are embarking on a pioneering exploration of soft materials, utilizing advanced microscopy techniques to investigate their structures and behaviors at the nanoscale.
The research team led by Shan Zhou, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Nanoscience and Biomedical Engineering, aims to develop a deep understanding of soft material systems with long-term impacts on applications that could influence diverse fields such as drug delivery, petroleum technology and biomedical engineering.
Three new research projects focusing on soft materials are supported through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Initiation program, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Doctoral New Investigator Award and the South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR) Competitive Research Grant.
With these new grants and the other recent support from NSF and the Department of Energy, the team is equipped with modern microscopy techniques to perform groundbreaking research with direct societal relevance. Notably, the team will conduct many of these experiments in liquid environments, simulating real-world conditions for more accurate results.
The soft materials pursued in the initiative cover man-made nanomaterials as well as natural molecules like the ones made up of cell membranes and flowing in the oil pipelines.
"Upon the first look, these materials look very different. But they share a lot of commonalities – they are soft, dynamic, and so small, so we need specialized tools to see their movements and understand their behaviors,” said Zhou, who is leading a research lab, Materials-Interfaces Imaging and Design Laboratory, at the university.
Research at the lab includes imaging soft materials in their functioning environment to gain insight on applications that range from optimizing industrial processes to creating advanced biomedical technologies.
One of the microscopy techniques the team will use is atomic force microscopy (AFM), which uses a tiny probe known as an AFM tip to trace the smallest structures on material surfaces.
Under the NSF grant, Yan Cui, a biomedical engineering doctoral student, is using this tool to study the backbone of cell membranes to see how they respond to stimulations.
“Our goal is to look at how cell membranes open up and intake medicines in the liquid environment," says Cui. "We believe this research could fundamentally change how we address various challenges in drug interactions and disease processes."
In another study, the researchers will investigate asphaltene deposition, a sticky substance known to block pipelines in the petroleum industry.
“Our team will explore the mechanisms behind asphaltene deposition to develop potential solutions for preventing these blockages,” said Zinnia Mallick, a postdoctoral researcher working on the project. This study, funded by ACS, seeks to replicate the liquid conditions of an oil pipeline, combining academic innovation with industrial relevance.
“Understanding these soft materials at the nanoscale will shed new light on challenges in petroleum extraction and transportation,” she said.
Understanding soft materials' behaviors will enable the team to tailor material properties for practical applications. In a proof-of-concept funded by the BOR, they’ll apply this knowledge to pattern man-made nanoparticles, creating new candidates for efficient light energy harvesting — demonstrating how insights into soft materials can revolutionize future material design.
These projects will create long-term impacts across interface science, biomaterials and industrial applications. By building a strong foundational knowledge of soft materials and their unique properties, Zhou’s team at Mines is positioned to make breakthroughs that could revolutionize technologies across healthcare, energy and advanced manufacturing.